Glad to hear so much great info on the 15-91. One is sitting up in upstate NY in my in-laws house - which we inherited from them. I've been wanting to try it out for a long time - just forget to take sewing stuff along. It's been a long time since it was used - my MIL passed away in 1992 and I am sure that she hadn't used it for many years before that. I'd love to bring it back home to NC but just do not have enough space for another cabinet sewing machine. My grandmother's 201 in a cabinet is still in storage for that very same reason.
I also own a 301, a few 99Ks and a few featherweights - collecting is a real disese!!!
Thanks again for all the 15-91 info.
Sandy in cold Mooresville, NC
Originally Posted by thepolyparrot
This is my favorite FMQ machine - a Singer 15-91. I've also had a treadled version (15-89) and a belted motor version (15-90) of this machine - all of them are fabulous, but I prefer this one.
It takes a class 15 bobbin, a 15X1 needle and standard low shank attachments, so keeping it equipped is easy and cheap. :)
My favorite hopping foot costs $3.00-5.00. You can get a modern repro even feed (walking) foot for $15-20. I use two different brands of these and don't notice any difference from one to the other. Both are effective.
It's got a lot of room under the arm, more than any other domestic machine I own except for maybe the Singer 27. Lots of people like quilting on the 27, but I must be a thread hog because I feel like I no more than get started before I run out of bobbin thread. It's a spindle type bobbin, and it takes standard low shank attachments and 15X1 needle.
Another one that's a favorite is a Singer 301. It takes slant shank attachments, a 221 bobbin and a standard 15X1 needle. It has a lot of room under the arm and a lot of people really love this machine for quilting and FMQ. I get acceptable results, but I just never really loved sewing with it the way I love sewing with my 15's.
Several people say that they do all their quilting on their 201's. I have two that I need to put back together, but I haven't done enough FMQ on them to really judge. I think the results were acceptable, but not as nice as on the 15. And the class 66 bobbin holds considerably less thread than the 15. Standard low shank attachments and 15X1 needle.
I've done quite a bit of FMQ on my Singer 401 - lots of skipped stitches, so the only free-motion stuff I do on that now is darning type repairs.
My second favorite FMQ machine is a Kenmore 1803 (and I have an 1802 which is just as good at it) Super high shank attachments, class 15 bobbin and 15X1 needle. It doesn't have nearly the space under the arm as the 15.
My third favorite FMQ machine is the one in my avatar - a Lady Kenmore 89 from the late 60's. It's also got quite a bit less space under the arm than the 15.
I love all my old gals - but the 15 is really getting a workout in the last few weeks. :)